I can passionately recommend a used pair of Alon (now Nola) 4 or 5's, which can be found for less that $2k. The open baffle mid and tops provide incredible soundstaging with pinpoint imagery when driven by a big solid state amp like a Krell ksa 100. The sealed 12 inch bass driver provides mind-boggling bass.
I keep a hot rodded pair of Alon iv's (they have the mid range driver and tweeter from the v's, also used in then range topper Phalanx, easily done with help from Carl at Nola) as my spare speaker. They were my main speakers for over ten years, loved them so much i couldn't part with them.
You didn't mention the genres you enjoy, but the Alons were a triumph whatever i played through them, from jazz soul and trip hop to deep house and drum and bass.